


What Nightmare This

by lferion



Category: Original Work, Society for Creative Anachronism RPF, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: fan_flashworks, Free Verse, Gen, Inspired by Real Events, Nightmare Fuel, Nightmares, Poetry, Politics, kingship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26966266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/lferion
Summary: Processing an abject failure of leadership
Kudos: 7
Collections: Original Wanderings, Wandering in Middle-Earth, Wandering in the Current Middle Ages, fan_flashworks





	What Nightmare This

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Runa for encouragement and sanity-checking.
> 
> This isn't about any particular Eldarin king or lord in the Silmarillion, though it could apply to several rulers of the Edain.
> 
> First written for Fan Flashworks for the prompt Nightmares [here](.).

* * *

What nightmare this, where chaos strives  
O not to lead, but drive, push, unwilling drag  
Or trample neath a fond-imagined boot.  
See the shallow might, the hollow strength  
Clamoring in spectacle and pride  
Of lordship only pretense, merely show  
Perilous enough in peace, health, plenty,  
Yet here and now is none of that.

What is Lordship, anyway?  
The schooling songs say duty,  
To lead, to care, to moderate,   
To be just and true and hold the need  
Of all one's followers, one's people,  
The one who choose to put their hands  
Hearts, minds, song and very lives  
Beneath your banner, at your command.

It is not glory. Nor privilege, nor leave to act  
Unbridled, uncontrolled, without care for all  
And once chosen, the task accepted,   
the circlet bound on brow,   
mouth and hands lord-sworn  
All within your purview is your duty.  
You cannot pick and choose.  
They may choose another lord: Their choice, not yours.

Lay down the sceptre, tawdry in your hands  
Vacate the dwelling of the people   
That you ignore, subdue, deny all duty toward  
Better you should walk away  
Let fitter, willing, caring hands take up the work,   
Labor to set right the desperate disarray,  
Attend the crying out of all the people of this land  
And let the nightmare end.

* * *


End file.
